R' Ashlag Ch. 56

... has been completed and can be found at ...

Toras Rav Ashlag

"Eight Chapters" (Chapter Four , Part 1)

“Spiritual Excellence” with Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Our Current Text: Moshe Maimonides's (Rambam's) “Eight Chapters”

-- Rabbi Feldman's on going series for Torah.org

**********************************************************

"Eight Chapters"

Chapter Four (Part 1)

We'd learned that a healthy Spirit is one that's "predisposed to doing good, benevolent and comely things" while an ill Spirit is "predisposed to doing bad, harmful and disgraceful things". Now, needless to say, that leaves a lot up in the air. What sorts of things are in fact "good, benevolent and comely" and which are "bad, harmful and disgraceful"?

Our tradition has long laid out just what's ethically and spiritually "good" and "bad", but that's not at all what Rambam is referring to here. For he dedicated the full thrust of his magnum opus "Mishne Torah" to explicating just that, setting out there which actions we're to take and which to avoid in a halachic context. His point here, though, isn't about that so much as about the caliber and character of our good deeds.

For while all good deeds are good, by definition -- some are ... better. And it's incumbent upon us to know what sets them apart from the others if we're ever going to achieve the sort of piety and spiritual excellence this work challenges us to achieve.

Rambam contends that our deeds are truly good when "they lie midway between two extremes, both of which are bad -- one because it goes too far, and the other because it doesn’t go far enough". And he adds that our "dispositions are 'virtuous' when they lie midway between two bad dispositions, one of which is excessive, and the other of which is inadequate".

In other words, we're off the mark both if we don't quite go far enough in our efforts to be righteous or if we go too far. And our dispositions or characters can be too extreme or too subdued. That's to say that we're to fine-tune our makeup and strive for equibalance throughout. That all obviously calls for a lot of explanation, which Rambam will indeed offer in the course of this chapter; but let's allow the points to stand as they are for now.

Rambam then offers as an aside the fact that too extreme or too subdued dispositions foster too extreme or too subdued actions. All that means to say is that our deeds are directly linked to the quality of our character, as most know; but the implication is that we'd need to hone our character en toto in order to improve our ways.

(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman and Torah.org

(Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )

********************************
AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*!
You can order it right now from here
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled
"Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal"

R' Ashlag Ch. 56 (Part 1)

Chapter Fifty-Six:

Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"

-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

__________________________________________________

56.

1.

"But it’s important to realize that the (all-encompassing) N. R. N. C. Y. we’d cited above is comprised of five elements..., "
-- That is, it’s comprised of a full complex of Nephesh-, Ruach-, Neshama-, Chaya-, and Yechida-elements.

" ... and that all of existence is embodied in it."
-- The great and mammoth, round, gyrating all-encompassing N. R. N. C. Y. can be said to be the very ambiance and context of the cosmos.

"For indeed, everything but everything that exists functions as a consequence (and in the midst) of it, no matter how minuscule."

And so, even the spiritual mineral aspect in Asiyah (of one’s being) ...
-- That is, even when functioning on the lowest level of the lowest world one ...

" ... has to realize the five levels of N. R. N. C. Y. (relevant to him) that are affiliated with (and lower reflections of) the all-encompassing N. R. N. C. Y. "
-- For every single aspect of our being is tied to and absorbed in every other one, and the whole of it must work in tandem.

(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

(Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )

********************************
AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*!
You can order it right now from here
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled
"Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal"

Ma'amar HaGeulah (The Visitation, Ch. 1, Part 1)

Ma'amar HaGeulah

-- "The Great Redemption", a reworking of Ramchal's "Ma'amar HaGeulah"

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman's series on www.torah.org

__________________________________________________

"The Great Redemption"

The Visitation: Ch. 1 (Part 1)

"The Visitation" will play itself out in six stages. This chapter will focus on the first of them.

As we were told, the Supernal Luminaries were dimmed in the heavens in the course of the exile, and all sorts of Divine emanations started to peter out down here on earth accordingly (though they certainly didn't wane altogether, since that would destroy the world en toto).

That's to say, our vital connection to heaven was disconnected for the time being; and as a consequence, we were thrust from our native land, our Holy temple was destroyed, the Divine service of the ministering angels and of many eminent guardian angels was suspended, Torah and wisdom came to be lacking among us, and -- most significantly -- The Shechina (G-d's manifest presence) was cast into exile as well (see para. 3).

That disconnect between us and heaven is the first thing that will begin to be amended in the course of The Visitation.

But there are a couple of points to know right off: first, that the Shechina was certainly not utterly cast aside (G-d forbid); and second, that while it will indeed reappear in the course of The Visitation, that will only last for a limited period of time, and will only come to full fruition later on during The Remembrance (see para. 10).

(Ramchal points out elsewhere that, ironically, our being cast into exile along with the Shechina actually draws us closer to her -- and closer to G-d of course as a consequence -- than we would have been otherwise (Tikkunim Chadashim #47)! It's much like the way people who'd experienced a tragedy together are bonded for life from then on, even if they'd only known each other slightly or not at all beforehand.)

In any event, the actual rectification of that disconnect will only come about on a very subtle, subliminal, inner, and inchoate level rather than outright and dramatically; and the rectification will only be manifest here on earth rather than throughout the cosmos (see para. 4).

The actual process will be as follows, and it will touch upon a couple of Kabbalistic notions which we'll explain.

(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman and Torah.org

(Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )

********************************
AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*!
You can order it right now from here
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled
"Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal"

R' Ashlag Ch. 55

... has been completed and can be found at ...

Toras Rav Ashlag

R' Ashlag Ch. 55 (Part 1)

Chapter Fifty-Five:

Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"

-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

__________________________________________________

55.

1.

"All that thus answers the questions we asked, 'Why would mankind need all the supernal worlds that the Creator forged for it? What use are they to him?'”
-- See 3:4, 33:1, and 41:1.

"For now we see that it would be impossible for you to achieve (the level of) bringing satisfaction to your Creator without the help of those worlds."
-- Indeed, we were taught that we’re charged to convert our ratzon l’kabel to a ratzon l’hashpia and grant satisfaction to our Maker rather than to ourselves (see 14:1, 32:1, 40:2).

"As the more you purify your ratzon l’kabel, the more lights and degrees of the soul termed (your) N. R. N. C. Y., will you achieve (see 32:1). In fact, the lights of each degree you achieve helps you to purify it. And you’ll thus ascend in degrees to the point where you attain the bliss of (having fulfilled) the intention behind creation ..."
... which was that we enjoy all sorts of spiritual “goodness, delight, and tranquility” (13:2; also see Ch. 12 and 14:3).

(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

(Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )

********************************
AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*!
You can order it right now from here
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled
"Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal"

"Eight Chapters" (Chapter Three, Part 3)

“Spiritual Excellence” with Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Our Current Text: Moshe Maimonides's (Rambam's) “Eight Chapters”

-- Rabbi Feldman's on going series for Torah.org

**********************************************************

"Eight Chapters"

Chapter Three (Part 3)

Now, many otherwise fine and unimpeachable people are fools, the truth be known. They suspect that something about them is in disrepair and doesn't square with who they want to be, but they do nothing about it. They even rationalize how actually *right* they are not to change, and they're satisfied with that. For as Solomon the wise put it, "The fool’s ways are blameless in his own eyes" (Proverbs 12:15).

"But ...", Solomon then offers, no matter how true that is, it's nonetheless also true that, " ... one who takes counsel is a sage" (ibid.). That's to say that there's indeed a way a headstrong person like that can change -- by taking any advice the sort of Spirit-healer we'd cited before would offer him.

Impartial, learned, and caring only for your well-being, such a person would set you straight if you're in that situation. He or she would point out where and how you had in fact come to "imagine bad ... to be good, and good ... to be bad", and would offer what you'd need to do to get back on course.

And that's just the sort of advice Rambam himself will provide us with in the next pivotal chapter.

(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman and Torah.org

(Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )

********************************
AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*!
You can order it right now from here
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled
"Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal"

Pesach Break

Time to shop, clean, arrange .... Best wishes for a chag kosher v'sameach!

Ma'amar HaGeulah (Exile, Ch. 11)

Ma'amar HaGeulah

-- "The Great Redemption", a reworking of Ramchal's "Ma'amar HaGeulah"

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman's series on www.torah.org

__________________________________________________

"The Great Redemption"

Exile: Ch. 11

We'll take our last step back now and see what we'd forfeited in the course of the exile so as to know just what will be restored (since nothing saddens the heart more than losing precious things, and nothing gladdens it more than getting them back). We'll find that we'd lost four things (see para. 1).

It's important to know that G-d had originally "arranged for Luminaries to allow His emanations to shine upon the universe", as Ramchal puts it. That's to say that the universe was to have always been well nourished on all levels from up above. For when those Luminaries "set their countenances toward the lower world to illuminate it" as they're designed to, "all windows, light, and blessing open up, goodness intensifies everywhere, and there’s no longer any tribulation or sorrow in the world". But something went very wrong at a certain juncture. The Luminaries stopped doing that and were hidden away, and the lustrous emanations "started to wane". That left our people vulnerable. There came a point when that had become so calamitous that "both the Shechina and the Jewish Nation" were deprived of the light and nourishment they'd enjoyed to that point. (The "Shechina" is the manifestation of G-d's presence in this world.)

So, the first of the four losses we've suffered in the exile was "the hiding of the Luminaries’ lights, and the (collateral) lessening of the (Divine) emanation" (see para. 3).

The second was the fact that we lost sway over our situation, and as a consequence, other peoples began to enjoy "a great deal of illumination, power, and dominion" over us which they hadn’t had before. And they began to rule over us (see para. 4).

The third loss, which is termed "dreadful and frightful", is the fact that "the Shechina has been cast into exile" along with us, and "many powerful and mighty Luminaries accompanied Her there and were delivered into the hands of the husks" as a result (see para. 5)! That's to say that G-d's presence could no longer be sensed in our midst and seemed to be gone.

The fourth and final loss had been our "being cast into dire poverty, and being forced to endure other hardships", including death and captivity, which has long been our people's lot despite blessed periods of reprieve, thank G-d (see para. 6).

"But in truth," Ramchal assures us, "all of that will prove to have been a smelting and refining process", and we'll be "cleansed of all of (our) impurities" as a consequence. The point is that all of that will be restored with the oncoming of the redemption and will have been proven to be for our ultimate benefit.

That having been said, we've now entered upon the main body of "The Great Redemption". As we'll see, it will be comprised of the laying out of the two main stages of redemption, known as the P’kidah (“The Visitation”) and Z’chirah (“The Remembrance”) stages, and it will then depict what will follow them in their in even greater detail than we'd done up to now in final section entitled “The Rectified World”.

(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman and Torah.org

(Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )

********************************
AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*!
You can order it right now from here
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled
"Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal"

"The Great Redemption" (45)

... can be found at ...

Toras Ramchal

R' Ashlag Ch. 54

... can be found at ...

Toras Rav Ashlag